Pull-switch socket



J Feb. 8,1927.

R. B. BENJAMIN PULL SWITCH SOCKE'1 Filed July 26. 1920 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H 22 HHl WITNESSES I I I JNVAIAIIZOR.

. r By i v A TTORNE Y5 Feb; 8, 1927.

R B NJAMIN PULL SWITCH SOCKET Filed J1 11y 26, 1 920 z shq tg sh t 2- INV ENTOR.

' ITNESSES A TTORNE Y5 Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNII'ZEEQ stares.

* ears, 1.

MANUFACTURING QQMBANY, or. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; RrO Q LI I PULL-SWITCH- SOCKET.

Application filed..Tu1y.26, 1920.. Serial No. 399,Q80..

My. invention. relates. to: electric circuit controllers, and more specifically to. pull switch sockets- One of. the objects. oiimy invention is to provide an improved pull switch socket which will be suitable for heavy duty, which will. be eflicient and durable in operation, simple in construction and cheapto; manu: facture.

A further object is. to. provide a. snap switch mechanism which has high current carrying and circuitibreaking capacity, and

which is. sufliciently small; and compact. to.

admit ofitsbeing placed in the, casing of theusuahlamp socket.

A further ob ect 1s..to. provide a. switch 7 mechanism which can be used in a. socket.

and which will: give; a quick, double break. and have a high capacity, without: requiring;

that a hardpullbe givento the flexible cord;

or chain to .operateit.

Further objects will; appear from thedee, tailed description. to. follow and. from. the.

appendedsclaims.

In the drawings, inwhich an embodiment of my invention. isv shown;

Fig. "1 is a. side elevationof the interior; of a pull switch socket removedi-rom the. enclosing casing; I

Fig.- 2 is a plan view of the construction. shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section. on the line of; Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a. bottom plan. view of: the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5- is a section on the line 575'of1 Fig. 2; Y r

Fig. 6 is a. section. on the line 66 of. Figs. 2 and 3.; I

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7.-7: of. Fig. 2;

Fig. 8. is. a. detail plan. view of part of the switch mechanism;

Fig. 9: is asection on. the. line: 9'..9 ofi e- I Fig. '10 is a section on the line. l Q--lQ: 0t

Fig. 3-;

Fig. 11 is: a detail: view oii part of the switch construction; f

Fig. 12 is a side; elevation: ofr the switch". base;

Fig. the switch mechanism;

Fig. 14. is a side. elevation of a. ratchet member, and

.13 is a fragmentary'view of part of? Fig. 1 5; is a plan view. of the ratchet member shownin Fig. 14.

The construct on shown in the drawings comprises inageneral way, a switch. socket comprising an insulating base 20, shell and,

center contacts 21; and 22 respectively, supported by the insulating base, wiring terminals. 23, and-.24; for the contacts '21 and 22 respectively, and switch mechanism 25 for controlling the circuit between, the wiring terminalr24 and. the center contact22. I

The-entire construction shown is enclosed in an ornamental; sheet metal housing (not shown)-,an;insu lating sleeve'or cup 26 being provided around; the threaded shell contact 21, to insulate it from this housing. The

insulatingbase is suitably. recessed to provide-roomior the switchmechanism andassociated parts.

The-threadedshell contact is always electrically connected with the wiring terminal 23, by means, Off a screw 27, the head of which; engages the flange-28 of the threaded shell contact- (Fig. and; the; upper end of, which. is screwed into the binding-plate 28*- of the wiring: terminal 23 (Fig. 2).

As. stated; above; the switch mechanism 25 controls I the circuit between the wiring terminal} 24 and; the center contact .22. This circuit is broken between the two; spring contact: fingers 29- and; 30' (Fig. 7 the spring. contact) finger 29 -being always electrically connected with the center contact 22 by meanscfthescrew 3l,and the spring contact finger 30 being always electrically connected with the wiring terminal; 24 by means, of-a screw 32.

The'screws, 27, 31 and 32, not only serve to-electrically connect; certain parts, but also serveto hold certain parts in place on the insulating. base. Thus, the screw 27 holds the binding plate 28 in place, and also. assists in holding the threaded shell contact in place (Figs. 2 and 4). The head: ot the screw 31- engages underneath the;- center contact; 22 and its upper: end. (EX- fiendsv through an opening in the-base ofthe. spring contact finger 29, (Fig and is threaded: into a nut 33, so, that,- this; screw holds. th center contactiifn. place, and: also the-spring contact; fiinger 29;. The;- headotthe screw; .2 engages undernea h he b e ot h pring. contact finger-30 (Fig.7) andi its upper end; is threaded into the binding plate 34; ofthe wiring terminal 24, so that this screw 32 holds the spring contact finger 30 and the binding plate 34 in place on the insulating base.

The switch mechanism 25 which controls the circuit between the two spring contact fingers 29 and 30 comprises a Ushaped pivoted switch arm 35, which may be a sheet metal stamping,- a pull chain 36, a ratchet mechanism 37, actuated by said pull chain, whereby an intermittent rotary movement is obtained, and switch-throwing mechanism 38 actuated by said ratchet mechanism, whereby the intermittent rotary motion is converted into alternate up and down snap oscillation of the switch arm 35.

The ratchet mechanism 37 comprises a driven ratchet member 39 (shown in detail in Figs. 14 and and a driving ratchet member 40, which is oscillated by the pull chain 36. The driven ratchet member 39 may be a sheet metal stamping, having a pair of wings 41, which are engaged and driven by the ratchet teeth 42 of'the driving ratchet member 49. For operating the switch-throwing mechanism 38, the driven ratchet member 41 is provided with a crank pin or cam portion 43 (Figs. 9 and 15) which operates in an elongated opening 44, in the swinging spring-shifting member 45 of the switch-throwing mechanism 38.

For positioning the driven ratchet mem ber 39 at the end of its intermittent movement and for preventing it from returning as the driving member is returned, this driven member 39 is provided with a rectangular positioning portion 46, which snaps endwise into a rectangular depression 47 (Fig. 12) in the switch frame 48, this being effected by the action of the combined torsion and compression spring 49 (Figs. 2 and 6). As will be hereinafter explained, this spring 49'serves to return the pull chain 36 after it has been pulled down, and as just stated it also serves to urge the switch mechanism tothe left as shown in 6 so that when the positioning portion 46 of the driven ratchet member is in registration with the rectangular depression 47 in the switch frame 48 the positioning member 46 will be caused to snap into the depression to position the driven ratchet member and to prevent it from returning as the driving ratchet member is returned by the torsion spring 49.

For guiding the end 50 of the swinging member 45, the switch frame 48 is provided with an upstanding guide or abutment 51 (Figs. 9 and 12) along which the end 50 slides as it is moved up and down by the action of the cam member 43. The other end 52 of this member 45 extends through and works back and forth in an opening in the cross-bar 53 of the switch arm 35( Figs. 8 and 9). g 1

In order to give a snap action to the switch mechanism, a coil compression spring 54 is provided, which surrounds the swinging member 38, one end of this spring bearing on the cross piece 53 of the switch arm, and the other bearing against the shoulder 55 of'the swinging member 38 and forcing it back against the abutment 51 (Figs. 8 and 9).

For connecting the pull chain 36 to the driving ratchet member 40, the pull chain is secured to a chain rail 56, which chain rail is in turn secured to the ratchet member 40 by means of an eyelet 57 (Fig. 6). As the driving ratchet member 40 is a live part it must be insulated from the pull chain 36, and for this purpose a pair of insulating fibre washersor discs 58 and 59 are provided, between which the chain rail 56 is clamped by means of the eyelet 57 previously referred to. I

For pivotally mounting the oscillating switch arm 35, the oscillating chain rail 56, and the oscillating driving ratchet member 40, and for rotatably mounting the driven ratchet member 39, a switch shaft or spindle 60 is provided, one end of which is supported in an opening 61, (Fig. 12) in the switch frame 48, and the other end of which is mounted in an opening 62 in the shaft bracket 63 (Figs. 6 and 10). This shaftor spindle 60 extends through the eyelet 57, through suitable holes in the driven ratchet member 39, and also through suitable holes in the arms 64 and 65 of the oscillating switch arm 35. This shaft also extends through the elongated opening 44 in the swinging member 45, this opening 44 being enlarged to permit of the necessary swinging movement of the member 45 without interference from the switch shaft60 (Fig. 9), and of such shape that the cam 43, as it slides on the upper or lower edge of this opening, may have as easy an action as pos sible in moving the member 45 up or down in contact with the abutment 51.

It will be noted. that the cam portion43 of the driven ratchet member 39 extends through one of the arms 65 of the switch arm 35. his necessitates an enlarged opening in this part of the switch arm, and this enlarged opening requires the provision of a correspondingly large bearing member 66 (Fig. 13) which is mounted on theswitch shaft or spindle, and fits snugly in the enlarged opening in the switch arm In order to provide clearance for the cam 43, this enlarged bearing member 66 is cut away as indicated at 67 so that the cam can extend through it (Fig. 9). The switch frame 48 may be secured to the insulating base 20 by means of a screw 68 (Figs. 6 and 9). 7

As previously stated, the coil torsion spring 49 serves to return the pull chain 36 after it has been pulled down and re leased, one end of this coil torsion spring being secured to a lug 69 struck up from the bearing member 63 (Figs. 6 and 10) the other end of the spring being suitably secured to the disc 58 which is clamped onto the chain rail 56.

The operation of the switch mechanism is as follows: Assuming that the switch mechanism is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9, which is the on position of the switch, and it is desired to turn the switch off the pull. chain 36 is pulled down, and released. The pulling down of the chain moves the driving 'ratchet member 40 through 180 degrees, this driving;

ratchet member '40 being connected to move with the chain rail 56 as previously de-' This movement 'of the driving.

scribed. ratchet member through 180 degrees also moves the driven ratchet member 39 through 180 degrees byengagement of the ratchet teeth 42 with the wings 41 of the driven ratchet member. As the driven ratchet member 39 is moved through this movement of 180 degrees, the cam 43 engages the upper edge of the elongated opening 44 ofthe swinging member 45 and raises the inner end of the latter, the rounded end of this member sliding on the stationary abutment 51. When the end 50 has passed the dead center. that is, a line through the axis of the spindle and the point of pressure of the spring 54 on the switch arm 35, the power stored in the spring will cause the pivoted switch arm 35 to snap to the dotted line position shown, which is the off position of the switch. The circuit is thus suddenly broken at two points, betweenthe switch arm .35 and the two contacts 29 and 30 respectively.

position.

7 During the return movementof the pull chain' 36 and the driving ratchet member 40 under the action of the torsion spring" 49. the driven ratchet member39 remains the switch mechanism will besnapped to on position, substantially as described in connection with this movement to off What I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pull switch comprising a switch' frame, a stationary abutment on said frame,

'a pivoted switch arm, and means for oscillating said switch arm back and forth compr sing a swinging member engaging said switch arm and said abutment, a spring between said switch arm and said member,

and means for sliding said member on said' abutment to carry, said spring back and forth past the axis of oscillation of said switch arm, said means comprising a rotatably mounted ratchet member and an oscillating ratchet member.

2. A-pull switch comprising a frame, a I

stationary abutment on said frame, a pivoted switch arm, a member slidable in said switch arm and arranged to slide on said abutment, a spring carried by said member and bear ingjon said switch arm, and'means for sliding said member on said abutment com prising 'a rotatable ratchet member and an oscillating ratchet member.

V 3. A pull switch comprising a switch frame,

a stationary abutment on said frame, a pivoted switch arm oscillatableback and forth, and

means for oscillatingsaid'switch arm com-.

prising a swinging member engaging said pivoted switch arm and said abutment, and

having a'slot therein, a spring between said switch arm and said member, and means for sliding said member on said abutment to, carry said spring back and forth past the axis of oscillation of said switch arm, said means comprising a cam working'in said slot. I

4. A pull switch mechanism comprising a ratchet mechanism including a rotatable ratchet member and an oscillating ratchet member adjacent said. rotatable member for operating it, a switch. arm oscillatable in a plane parallel to the plane of the rotatable" ratchet member, transmission means from said rotatable member to said oscillatable switch arm whereby rotation of said rotatable'ratchetmember causes said switch arm to oscillate and a spring for returning said oscillatable member, said returning spring and switch arm being on opposite sides of saidrotatable ratchet member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name.

t REUBENB. BENJAMIN. 

